What it means to be South African.

South Africans have always been screwed over over by whatever Government is in power at the time. This happened when the British were in control, it happened when the British were kicked out and the Nationalist Government took over. And it still happens today under an ANC Government.

When the Nelson Mandela was sworn in as President, we all had different expectations. The Whites need assurance that they would not be tossed aside, Coloureds and Indians needed assurance that they would not take a back seat to Blacks and Black South Africans looked forward to better Education, Housing and Jobs.

The recent mining strikes show just how badly South Africans expectations have been ignored. Mining is dangerous, striking for a better wage is acceptable, but the recent strikes went beyond what is acceptable on both sides. Both Mine Management and Labour should have been prepared to compromise on better wages. Police should only have been armed with Riot Shields and Batons, and miners should not have been armed. What we ended up with dead and injured miners, loss of income and jobs.

But the biggest injustice that has been done to South Africans is setting the minimum wage for farm labours at R71 (keep in mind that a packet of cigarettes costs anything from R20 for twenty and bread cost around R7 a loaf) is joke. Lets see farmers and politicians live on that and still support a family.

I am not a farm labourer and I am not a miner, and I own my own Business, but a wise old man once said “Shit rolls down hill.” With more jobs lost, there is less money in circulation, which means my customers have less to spend.

So at the moment being a South African is, lets just say, interesting.